Innholdsfortegnelse for July 2020 i The Gardener Magazine

I write this letter to you on the coldest night of the year so far. Snow has fallen in the Eastern Cape, in Clarens, on the mountains around Ceres, and Sutherland is reminding us that it is one of the coldest places in our country. Winter is here, and I do hope that you are snug and warm and that so too are your frost-tender plants. I hope they have been wrapped up in frost guard and are protected from the chills! Somedays during this altered state of living I wish that I could simply wrap myself up and ignore the world, the hard decisions, the everchanging landscape that we are dealt with daily. I am missing my team so much. I miss their energy, the office banter, popcorn at…

There is likely no element of your garden that visitors will interact more with than pavers. They provide the first impression to your home as a front path, lead people around your carefully curated garden, and surround seating areas that bring people together for afternoon tea or your Friday night braai. Most importantly, they stop people from crushing your groundcover or ruining your grass, so they should be given high priority. Here are a few tips to make your pavers shine. Bring out your inner artist Even the most creative of gardens can be dulled down by a boring pathway. Pavers are your chance to add some extra flare that can’t be achieved with plants alone. Play around with patterns to add some unpredictability, or mix up shape combinations in…

TriTunia series This range can best be described as ‘the best-of-the-best’, as breeders used three longstanding grandiflora varieties to create a new series with excellent garden vigour. Attributes are huge blooms, good heat tolerance and a uniform, mounding growth habit. Available colours are red, rose and sky blue. Height: 25 – 30cm. Spread: 30 – 35cm. Limbo GP series Within this improved series you will recognise all your old favourites: the veined flowers, two-tone picotees, gaudy colours and pastel shades, but with the added advantage of greater performance (GP). Plants in this range have inbred growth-control genes to turn them naturally into non-stretching compact plants with better garden performance and fast recovery from weather damage. The flowers are many and huge, up to 10 – 13cm in diameter! Height: 13…

Leucadendron argenteum The silver tree is a member of the Protea family (Proteaceae) and is native to granitic clay soils in the mountains of the northern and southern Cape Peninsula and those at Paarl, Somerset West and Stellenbosch to the east of Cape Town. Although threatened in the wild due to loss of habitat and the spread of choking alien vegetation, it is an outstanding ornamental tree for large fynbos gardens. Reaching 7 – 10m high, it is fast growing and well proportioned, with a cone-like appearance. Its attractive hairy leaves impart a silvery shimmer in bright sunlight. It is dioecious, which means that male and female flowers appear on different trees, and flowering takes place in spring. The male flowerhead consists of numerous yellow and pink feathery florets, whereas…

Winter or summer, we are a nation of red-meat eaters. We also love our herbs, and those that go with red meat are the strongly flavoured herbs that hold their own. Thyme, rosemary, Italian parsley, oregano, sage and bay leaf can be described as robust herbs, in flavouring and in vigour. Except for Italian parsley, they are perennials that can be har vested all year round. From traditional to cutting edge Traditionally, a ‘bouquet’ of three or four herbs are slow cooked with chuck, brisket, shin or oxtail, so that their flavours infuse the dish. A beef stew or casserole without herbs is like a wedding without champagne – a little bit flat. But there are other ways of using herbs with beef, in which the beef and herbs meet…

Flowering kale and flowering cabbages aren’t regarded as edible plants, but rather as stunning annuals to add colour to the winter garden. These playful hybrids of the cabbage family develop very colourful pigmentation in creamy white, fresh pink, purple and burgundy as the young seedlings (which look just like ordinary cabbage plants) mature. Those with smooth leaf margins are known as flowering cabbage and those with serrated or frilled margins as flowering kale. They simply love winter, and even frost! Buy them when they are already showing colour and dot them all over the garden and between your winter veggies. They are pretty on their own or combined with lobularias (alyssum) in window boxes. Plant them in sunny spots and water occasionally, as they like the soil around them to…

Dracaenas, which are native to Africa, have been given the thumbs up by NASA as efficient air filters. While we can’t confirm the claims (myths?) that having a Dracaena deremensis ‘Warneckii Lemon Lime’ sitting close to you will make you feel happy and more productive, you can take our word for it that this is a very attractive plant with its chartreuse foliage. The leaves are large and sword-shaped, with bright green and yellow stripes arranged in lush rosettes. The plants are full and bushy while still young, but as they age they develop thick stems that grow quite tall. If this becomes a problem you can cut off the rosette anywhere along the stem and new growth (sometimes more than one new rosette) will soon appear. Care notes Dracaenas…

Frost-hardy rosemary has a delicious fragrance that lifts the spirits, especially in winter, and it is a delicious flavouring for winter comfort foods such as roast chicken and lamb as well as roast potatoes. Combined with olive oil, garlic and lemon juice it is a simple but tasty marinade for lamb, chicken and pork on the braai. Rosemary is a shrubby perennial that grows best in full sun, in light, chalky soil that drains well. It is drought tolerant and disease free, and its aromatic foliage repels pests. It is a good companion plant for carrots, and its flowers attract bees. It can also be grown in large containers. Plant a rosemary hedge around the vegetable or herb garden as a natural pest barrier. Drink an infusion of rosemary as…

Feed leafy vegetables with a nitrogen-rich fertiliser. Use organic insecticide and snail bait to eradicate aphids and snails. Water as early as possible so leaves dry out by evening. Keep soil moist but not soggy. Plant out asparagus crowns. Order seed potatoes. Till compost, well-rotted manure and other organic material into empty beds in preparation for August and September planting. Moisten compost heaps (in dry areas) and turn regularly to speed up decomposition.…

One of nature’s gifts to us during winter is the sweet, fragrant face of pansies and violas. These gorgeous little plants really take the bite out of winter, so bring some joy to your winter garden with these special flowers, which are also extremely easy to grow! Pansies generally have fewer blooms per plant but make up for it with much larger flowers. Violas have small, dainty flowers but are very florific. Both perform well in a sunny or partially shaded position, so planting under deciduous trees in autumn is ideal. Violas are even happy in quite shady positions, so are perfect for brightening up dull areas.…

There has always been a little superstition with regards to combining white and red flowers, but if you team them up with what is probably going to become the most desirable and popular silverfoliaged plant ever, bad karma will be flying out the window! Dream about and plan for the following powerful combination of new releases that will stand out on your patio:…

Two beautiful hybrids have been developed from two endemic genera in the fynbos family, as well as one from a genus endemic to Western Australia. We kept our ears to the ground and can report that these beauties have been growing like blazes during lockdown and are now available to the public. They require full sun, occasional watering once established, well-drained soil, enough space to grow, and no ‘social distancing’ from you. Chamelaucium (waxflower) Waxflowers hail from Australia and are fast-growing, very tough, evergreen shrubs with aromatic needlelike foliage. Tall stems produce a mass of waxy small flowers with a subtle honey scent. A gorgeous hybrid bred from Chamelaucium megalopetalum called ‘Morning Delight’ caught our eye. Stunning white flowers with a tinge of pink are borne from late winter to…

Gather together Do this Add the sachet of water-retaining crystals to potting soil, then add the organic fertiliser and bonemeal, and mix well. Add a layer of gravel to the pot and half fill the pot with potting soil. Set the pelargoniums towards the back of the pot and fill in the front with the verbena and calibrachoa, facing the plants to the side to give a cascading effect. Fill in the gaps with potting mix. Water well and find a sunny spot for the pot. Watch on Garden tube…

Large groups of red-hot pokers (Kniphofia species) make a brilliant display in the winter garden, and the tubular flowers are long-lasting and popular cut flowers. South Africa has many species, both winter- and summer-flowering, some evergreen and others deciduous, although only a few are cultivated commercially. Growth notes: Plant in open, sunny spots or in light shade. Add lots of compost to free-draining soil, along with some bonemeal to encourage strong roots. Water regularly – these plants grow naturally near rivers or other marshy places. Feed with a slow-release fertiliser in spring and late summer.…

The grower’s stake attached to a young tree or shrub is not sufficient to properly brace the plant when it is growing in the garden. To safeguard them against wind and storms and to keep them upright, you need to do proper staking yourself. First prize when planting a tree is to hammer a sturdy stake deep into the planting hole before adding the backfill, the plant and the amended soil, but if you didn’t do it then, look at these methods: Single stake – The length of a single stake should be at least ⅓ of the trunk’s height. Double stake – This method of staking is recommended for windy areas. Guying – With this method, 3 or 4 short steel droppers are hammered into the soil around a…

The indigenous Crassula ovata (jade plant) is probably one of the world’s most popular succulents, grown indoors as well as outdoors. Quite a few varieties have originated from this sturdy shrub, which resembles a small baobab tree. ‘Hummel’s Sunset’ has thick, fleshy, nearly spoonshaped leaves that intensify in colour in winter, providing a symphony of green, yellow and red. Heads of small star-shaped flowers in soft pink or white are also present at this time. This plant should be grown in full sun in rockeries or big containers to enjoy the beauty of the leaf colours. Indoors, the foliage will just be green.…

Vegepod is a compact, self-contained plant box in three different sizes fitted with a permeable canopy, for veggies and herbs. It makes vegetable growing super easy, because of a self-watering system, and the canopy keeps out pests, creates a microclimate and functions as frost protection. Each Vegepod is fitted with water tanks that provide water to the roots through a water-wick system, with a mist sprayer for really hot days. The permeable canopy has 17% screening, allowing through sun and air. To create a microclimate and pest-free gardening just keep the canopy in place. There are three sizes: the small pod (1m x 0.5m) as a balcony or starter option, the medium pod (1m x 1m) for a kitchen courtyard, and the large pod (1m x 2m), for the size…

This general guide should be used for planting in conjunction with your own experience of local conditions and the microclimate in your garden. Highveld and KwaZulu-Natal Midlands Cabbages (sow indoors), peas Middleveld areas (Tshwane and other less frosty areas) Lettuce, parsnips, radishes, Swiss chard, tomatoes (sow indoors), turnips Eastern Cape and Little Karoo Beetroot, carrots, cucumber, lettuce, peas, turnips Western Cape and Southern Coast Beetroot, celery, peas, radishes, tomatoes, turnips Northern Cape and Great Karoo Onions, peas, Swiss chard Lowveld and KwaZulu-Natal Coast Beans, beetroot, brinjals, carrots, chillies, cucumber, mealies, melons, pumpkins, radishes, squashes, Swiss chard, tomatoes…

Keep planting winter- and spring-flowering annual seedlings like pansies and violas for spots of cheerful colour – they will carry on blooming until December if deadheaded and fed regularly with a water-soluble fertiliser. Dot them in spots with morning sun and afternoon shade. Deciduous fruit trees (except peaches), blueberries and grape vines can be pruned in July. Spray the dormant plants afterwards with fresh lime sulphur to kill overwintering pests. Time to lay truncheons of frangipani – use a sandy, gritty soil mix and keep the truncheons fairly dry at first. Divide overgrown bromeliads and replant them. Try to find interesting ways to display these interesting plants all over your garden. Take your lawn mower for a proper service and fitting of new blades. If you have been battling with…

Water regularly at first, but only once a week when you see active growth – petunias don’t like waterlogged soil at all. Water at soil level and not overhead. As petunias are long-flowering annuals, give them a good start in the garden with well-composted soil enriched with bonemeal for good root development. Plant them where they will get at least five hours of sunlight per day. Protect young seedlings against snails and slugs, and shelter them with frost cover if frost is expected. Feed monthly with a liquid fertiliser such as Nutrifeed or MultiGro. Remove yellowing leaves at the base of the plant to prevent disease. Deadhead spent flowers regularly to encourage more flowering. Petunias in containers Use a good quality potting soil mixed with a handful of bonemeal and…

Growing vegetables has become a serious undertaking in the era of Covid-19. While vegetable gardens need to be practical and productive, that doesn’t mean they can’t also be beautiful, fun to be in and creatively satisfying. The design options for a productive garden are endless, from traditional vegetable garden layouts to elegant formal potagers, a mix-it-all-up approach, raised built beds, square-foot gardens, vertical veggies and permaculture-inspired keyhole beds and eco-circles. Before deciding on a design, find a site that meets most, preferably all, of the criteria for growing vegetables successfully. Vegetables need sun to thrive, at least six hours of sun daily. In winter, full sun is best and in summer, morning sun and afternoon shade. With not enough sun, vegetables aren’t as productive, are easily weakened by pests and…

The white form of wild dagga is referred to as Leonotis leonurus var. albiflora. Like the orangeflowered species, it produces clusters of spider-like, velvety flowers in vertical towers along many erect stems. This indigenous woody shrub is valued for its variety of medicinal uses as well as for attracting birds, bees and butterflies. The attractive white flowers are drenched in nectar and the rough leaves are highly aromatic, giving off a strong herby scent when crushed. This robust shrub (2.5m x 1.5m) is perfect for the natural garden style, as well as for the flowery cottage garden. It is fast growing, sun loving and resistant to frost and drought. Plant it in compost-enriched, well-draining soil, water regularly and prune back hard after flowering in winter.…

Despite their delicate (even romantic) appearance, tulips are very easy bulbs to grow. The only difference between buying tulips and buying other springflowering bulbs is that you have to order tulips directly from the bulb grower. Those that we can plant locally are first cold treated in the growers’ stores and then despatched directly to the gardener to plant straight away. Planting tips: Prepare the soil with ample compost – if drainage is suspect, add some river sand to each planting hole. Pick a spot with morning sun and afternoon shade. Plant the bulbs with the pointed side facing up. Cover with a 5cm layer of soil and mulch with a 2cm layer of organic mulch, like bark chips or compost. Water deeply after planting and repeat every 3 –…

Gazania rigens ‘New Day’ series are compact, drought-tolerant, high-quality plants that will look great in baskets, pots and in the garden as an edging plant or groundcover. The large flowers attract bees and butterflies, and they are very low-maintenance plants that need just the occasional light watering. They need full sun and will bloom in late spring and into summer. The new ‘Yellow Improved’ has larger flowers for an increased show of colour.…

If you need a good groundcover to supply a strong colour pop in shady spots, plant Plectranthus ciliatus ‘Sasha’. This compact hybrid, which grows up to 50cm high, was bred from an indigenous species. The foliage is a lovely mix of greens, yellows, gold and bronze, borne on spreading, dark maroon stems. Dainty sprays of orchid-like white flowers appear in autumn and winter. In a nutshell Use as a groundcover in shade (morning sun and afternoon shade is perfect). Plant in free-draining, compostenriched soil. Not suitable for very cold, frosty gardens. Very pretty in hanging baskets!…

Aphids love brassicas and can wipe out a crop, especially cabbages if they get into the head. Plant strongly aromatic herbs alongside brassicas, like thyme, oregano, sage, and rosemary as natural repellents. Nasturtiums are also good companions. They act as a trap crop for aphids and should be pulled out and thrown away when infested with aphids. Chamomile is often referred to as the plant doctor. Everything planted next to it grows well but it is particularly beneficial for cabbages, cauliflowers and Brussels sprouts. The only edibles that brassicas do not like are carrots and garlic. Strange, because they go rather well together in a stew.…

TIP Wear a pair of disposable gloves when peeling beets. It’s time to harvest your beetroot crop, and to plant another crop while you’re digging over your garden. Now that you have so many beets, you’re no doubt wondering what there is to do with them? It turns out there is quite a lot. The usual pickled beets come to mind, but they can also be canned and frozen. If you have young, healthy, unblemished leaves, these too can be blanched for a few minutes in boiling water, drained and cooled, and packed into freezer bags for the freezer. When you are ready to use them, treat them in the same way you would spinach. For canning, freezing and pickling, prepare your beets by cutting off the top and root,…

For those of you who didn’t grab the last chance to pick up a few packets of flower seeds before they became non-essential items in lockdown, take heart! We rounded up five old-fashioned but pretty garden flowers that you can sow in situ even in winter – in fact, you can sow them repeatedly all year long. Sow them this month to commemorate the hardship and loss that a virus is causing in our world… When in flower, they will hopefully comfort and delight you. Best of all, they will return by self-seeding again and again.…

Climbing plants will scale just about anything, but if you want them to look neat and to climb where you want them to climb, make a simple trellis like this one. What you need • Cutting list (for three trellises): 75mm CCA-treated fencing slats cut to: • 6 x 1800mm x 75mm x 22mm – uprights • 6 x 900mm x 75mm x 22mm – rails • 24 Tek screws (50mm x 4mm) • 100m black poly twine • 500ml undercoat • 500ml paint (we used Bethany Green enamel paint) Tools: Hand saw, tape measure, pencil, combination square, cordless drill with appropriate driver bit, 4mm drill bit for wood, staple gun, paint brush Step 1 Make a mark on each upright 122mm from one end. From there mark every 100mm…